Tommy woke up to the sound of classical music playing softly. Blinking he opened his eyes and looked around, taking in his unfamiliar surroundings before the events of the prior evening flooded back to him. Sitting up so he could have a better view, he noted that sometime during the night Renata had tried her best to make him comfortable by ridding him of his boots, his belt and sitting on the coffee table to his right were the contents of his pockets.

"Well she's thorough."

Standing up, Tommy stretched and started walking toward the music all while taking note of the rest of the apartment. He paused in the doorway as he came across the source of the sound and just watched. Renata seemingly converted two rooms into a large dance studio, the outer wall of which was entirely windows that looked out over downtown. Tommy swallowed as his eyes were drawn to the empty hole in the skyline where the towers once stood. He wondered if she had been dancing that morning, did she see the planes?

"The studio was supposed to be my wedding present but he had it finished early for me."

Renata's eyes followed his gaze and she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Today is the first day I've danced with the blinds up. I hadn't been able since that day."

Tommy's view was cut off as a pair of blinds slowly lowered themselves. Walking over to where she stood he noticed for the first time she was dressed in only a leotard and tights.

"Garrity would probably bust a nut if he was standing in my shoes" he thought as he draped his arm over her shoulders.

Draping his arm over her shoulders, he took the remote from her hand and opened them again.

"You don't have to close them on my account. I sometimes go down there and just sit for hours. Jimmy, my cousin didn't make it out when they came down."

Renata looked up him for a moment, then turned her gaze toward the skyline and whispered softly.

"I don't go down there much, I can't deal with the tourists or the street vendors trying to make money off all of their lives."

Tommy nodded and ran his free hand through his hair.

"I don't have to be back at the house until later this afternoon, do you want to go down there with me? Murphy's cousin from Engine One works security down there and he'll let us in past the fence so we can get away from the tourists."

"You'd do that for me?"

Renata couldn't help but be just a small bit suspicious over how well Tommy was handling the massive amount of emotional baggage that she was carrying around. She was certain that most men would probably running fleeing and not look back.

Tommy on the other hand was surprised by his offer; he hadn't shared that knowledge even with the other guys from the house yet here he just volunteered to take a virtual stranger.

"Yes, but only if you want to go. I wouldn't force you to do anything."

Renata nodded then looked at her ring finger, which for the first time in so long was adornment less.

"Are you going to tell the other guys that I'm really not engaged?"

Tommy didn't answer for a moment, mulling over possible solutions in his mind.

"Before we knew you were the food fairy, we had thought that you wore the rock to discourage men from hitting on you and so that you could weed out the ones you didn't like. If you'd like I can just tell them that we were right, and then if you want or feel the need to tell them the rest of you story you can. How's that sound?"

Again Renata nodded.

"Thank you, for everything. Are you hungry? I could make you some breakfast."

Tommy was tempted to say yes but instead he shook his head.

"Let's go out and get something. I'll go grab my truck and meet you downstairs. How long do you need to get ready?"

Renata laughed softly and ducked out from under his arm to make her way to the corner of the studio where there was a small duffel bag lying open on the floor. Tommy watched as she freed her feet from her ballet shoes, pulled on a short black skirt and shoved her feet into a pair of comfortable looking clogs. Her ballet shoes, a bottle of water and a towel were thrown into the bag, which was then zipped up and thrown over her shoulder.

"I'm ready. Let's go."